Willow Creek Founder Denies Misconduct Allegations: Report

The founder of Willow Creek Community Church in South Barrington was the subject of inquiries into claims that he went against church teachings by engaging in inappropriate behavior with women in the congregation–behavior that allegedly spanned decades, a Chicago Tribune investigation has found. Last October, Rev. Bill Hybels announced plans last October to step down from his role as senior pastor at the northwest suburban church, which has become one of the nation's most influential and iconic churches and one that Hybels spent 42 years building up. The announcement before his congregation came as a surprise, the Chicago Tribune reported.

Hybels still serves as the senior pastor at Willow Creek but new leadership is transitioning into his current role, according to a news release from the suburban church. He will move off the paid staff this October. Hybels will then focus on his role with the Willow Creek Association (WCA) and The Global Leadership Summit, a movement of 400,000 leaders in 130 countries, which he launched in 1995.

Church leaders have said the inquiries had nothing to do with Hybels plans to step down. And the inquiries into claims Hybels "ran afoul of the churches teaching by engaging in inappropriate behavior," alleged behavior that included suggestive comments, extended hugs, an unwanted kiss, and invitations to hotel rooms, ultimately cleared Hybels of any wrong-doing, according to the Chicago Tribune's investigation.

Hybels, a husband, father and grandfather, told the Tribune he did not do anything improper and said the allegations were all lies. He said prominent members of his church "colluded" against him.

“This has been a calculated and continual attack on our elders and on me for four long years. It’s time that gets identified,” Hybels told old the Tribune. “I want to speak to all the people around the country that have been misled … for the past four years and tell them in my voice, in as strong a voice as you’ll allow me to tell it, that the charges against me are false. There still to this day is not evidence of misconduct on my part.

Many church members spoke up in support of Hybels on a Chicago Tribune Facebook post while other said there was plenty of evidence of wrongdoing on Hybels' part.

Willow Creek Community Church's main campus is in South Barrington but has additional suburban locations in Crystal Lake, Huntley, Wheaton, Glenview, Chicago and Lincolnshire.

More via the Chicago Tribune article/investigation and Chicago Tribune video